The program provides financing for the production, digital distribution and promotion of a first feature-length film or web series intended specifically for online distribution. Once completed, the projects must be made available to the public through one or more digital platforms (e.g. web portals, video portals such as YouTube or iTunes, video on demand, mobile platforms/devices). Fictional or documentary audiovisual projects are all eligible.

As a partner organization, On Screen Manitoba can recommend to Telefilm:

up to two feature film projects and one web project under the Main component, and

up to two feature film projects and one web project for the Official Language Minority Community component (OLMC)

one Indigenous led feature film or web project

The Selective Stream is a competitive and juried process.

Project description: The recommended projects must be fictional or documentary audiovisual projects produced in English French language or an Indigenous language that are either:

feature length films of 75 minutes or more; or

any other type of narrative-based audiovisual content made in a format specifically designed for online audiences. These types of projects can be comprised of one or more segments which, in total, must be more than 10 minutes in length.

Eligibility: The key members of all recommended projects must be emerging talent i.e. they must have previously produced, directed and/or written at least one short film but cannot have previously held the same key position in a feature length film. Note that producers who have previously produced one feature film that has received funding under this Program will also be considered as emerging talent.

The director of the project must be a member in good standing of On Screen Manitoba.

Those submitting as an Indigenous project, must be self-declared Indigenous people.

Furthermore, the key members must be Canadian citizens, within the definition of the Citizenship Act, or permanent residents within the definition of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Friday, January 11, On Screen Manitoba will hold an information session at 12 PM in our offices at 003-100, Arthur Street with updates on our submission guidelines and requirements. Attendance is required to submit a project to On Screen Manitoba. RSVP to maryam@onscreenmanitoba.com

Please note: The OSM deadline for submissions is January 28, 12:00 PM Central Time in advance of Telefilm’s final submission deadline of February 18 – 25, 2019. No incomplete or late submissions will be considered. This allows a brief period of time for selected teams to refine their applications, if necessary, in advance of submitting to Telefilm.

As part of the recommendation process, the following elements must be presented by the creative teams to On Screen Manitoba using a file storage service (ex. OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc).

1) Presentation video: a downloadable pitch video of a maximum of 5 minutes that will:

state the project’s working title;

identify the genre, the type, and the length of the project;

identify the key creative team involved in the project and their individual track records
(including samples of past work if applicable or relevant);

provide a brief synopsis of the story from beginning to end;

outline the creative team’s vision/visual treatment of the material;

outline any other relevant information that sets the project apart (e.g.: personal
connection to the story material, confirmed appearance by an established actor,
successful crowdfunding campaign, relationship with VFX professionals or animators);

identify the target audience;

include 1 minute segment of the director’s previous short films

Note: the video must NOT include footage from other projects that are not the team’s own
work.

Synopsis of the project, maximum of 750 words, which includes the main story
developments, and tells the basic story from beginning to end;

Director’s vision (up to three pages in length);

A promotion and distribution plan (up to two pages in length) which identifies the project’s
audience (age, sex, sensibility, culture, etc.). It must also identify how the team will find
and access this audience and why will they connect with the project;
Talent to Watch Program – December 5, 2018 – Telefilm Canada

Creative team (producer, writer and director) Filmography : submit a filmography using
the template available on the Website, which will indicate training, education, experience,
accolades, outline past projects and history of team collaboration;

A production schedule (from pre-production to digital release) that will ensure completion
of the project within 24 months of the receipt of Telefilm’s invitation to apply, as described
below;

The budget top sheet for the project (see template available on Telefilm’s website);

Up to one page detailing any other information that sets this project apart (eg: personal
connection to the story material, successful crowdfunding campaign, confirmed cameo by
a well-known actor, established fan base on social media);

Projects submitted through the Indigenous stream and all other projects with Indigenous content shall address the issue of how the team sought to engage the various Indigenous communities that will be impacted by the project. Suitable means of achieving this may include the following, as applicable: letters of support from the community, letters of support from Indigenous advisors, contracts between the communities and the creative team for the project, community engagement plans, etc.

3) a completed screenplay;

4) a link to previous work, if available;

OSM requires that you visit the Talent to Watch webpage to read Telefilm’s full set of guidelines and FAQs before submitting to determine eligibility. Applicants submitting their project to another designated partner must state this in their application.